Subunit organization and functional transitions in Ci-VSP

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2008 Jan;15(1):106-8. doi: 10.1038/nsmb1320. Epub 2007 Dec 16.

Abstract

Voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) confer voltage dependence on effector domains of membrane proteins. Ion channels use four VSDs to control a gate in the pore domain, but in the recently discovered phosphatase Ci-VSP, the number of subunits has been unknown. Using single-molecule microscopy to count subunits and voltage clamp fluorometry to detect structural dynamics, we found Ci-VSP to be a monomer, which operates independently, but nevertheless undergoes multiple voltage-dependent conformational transitions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Electrochemistry / methods
  • Female
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Membrane Proteins / physiology*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Oocytes / physiology
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins